


Hope

by somekindaspacecadet



Series: Decamber 2020 [7]
Category: Doctor Who
Genre: Academy Era, Decamber, Inno is a child with the heart of a grandma and she also says gay rights, M/M, Otherstide, The Deca - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-09
Updated: 2020-12-09
Packaged: 2021-03-09 19:42:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,603
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27971783
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/somekindaspacecadet/pseuds/somekindaspacecadet
Summary: Koschei has never had a House to visit on Otherstide. Innocet persuades Theta to let him stay at Lungbarrow.
Relationships: The Doctor | Theta Sigma/The Master | Koschei (Doctor Who: Academy Era)
Series: Decamber 2020 [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2037277
Comments: 5
Kudos: 15





	Hope

**Author's Note:**

> Day seven of Decamber! Thanks @starryeyedgazer for the prompts!
> 
> (I know I'm behind but I will get there :))

Going home for the holiday was always a difficult topic at the Academy-- or, amongst the students of the Academy, at least. The administration liked to pretend that everyone was perfectly happy to return to their House every year for Otherstide, and that there was no reason why they wouldn’t want to spend some “quality time” with their cousins. But the students knew better. Some were indifferent to their families. Some had projects and research they would rather spend time on. And some hadn’t called a House home in a long time.

The latter was why Theta Sigma Lungbarrow and Koschei Oakdown were creeping around the side of the Lungbarrow House, hiding in the shadows of the outer walkway that wrapped around its perimeter. Theta had sensed the House’s presence as they’d approached-- or rather, the House had sensed him, stretching out across an old and familiar telepathic link, but one that was lately unused. The House had always been indifferent to Theta at best, and now it felt wary, the way it used to when he’d be sitting with his tutor, hatching a scheme to escape from his schoolwork. If he was being honest, Theta didn’t feel any better. His pulse was racing, his breath fluttering, and his palm sweating against Koschei’s. Just three more windows past the main back door, and then, well, they’d see.

One, two, three. The dark rectangular panes, covered by opaque drapes from the inside, slipped past. Theta tugged Koschei forward and they crouched beneath the fourth window. “Ready?” Theta mouthed.

Koschei’s eyes had what Theta knew to be a glimmer of anxiety in them, but he shrugged and nodded. Theta inhaled and tapped on the window five times lightly with his fingertip.

A few tense seconds passed, and then Theta heard the window latch turn. The curtains rustled and parted. A pair of small hands lifted the pane and pushed it upward to reveal a round face with large, dark eyes and a wide grin. “Come on, get in!” Innocet whispered. She waved an arm and offered a hand to help Theta and Koschei climb over the sill. Once they had clambered inside, Innocet slid the window shut as noiselessly as she’d opened it and muttered something under her breath. A light switched on overhead, illuminating a small sitting room with a loveseat, an armchair, a round table, and a dormant fireplace. On the wall opposite the window, a door was shut.

The curtains were drawing themselves as Inno turned her thousand-star smile on Theta and wrapped him in a tight hug. “I missed you so much, Wormhole!”

Theta smiled back and tugged one of Inno’s auburn braids playfully. “I thought you got my letter. I told you not to call me that in front of my friends.”

“Oh, right, right. It’s Theta Sigma now, huh? Fancy Academy man.” Inno laughed. She pivoted and bowed gracefully, the long sleeves on her small robe brushing the floor. “You must be Koschei.”

“I-- yes.” Koschei stumbled into a less smooth bow. “I’m very sorry to intrude on your House like this. I mean-- I appreciate your hospitality, but I’m sure it isn’t easy, since I’m. Um. You know.” He tapped his fingers together.

Innocet shook her head. “Please, you have nothing to worry about from me. Or from this House. It’s a stubborn old thing, and grumpy too, but we take good care of each other.” Innocet’s hand traced along the tabletop fondly as she stepped across the room. “It’s my cousins we have to watch out for. Sit down, both of you.”

They sat, knees bumping as they crammed into the loveseat. Theta was always a little surprised at how easily Innocet could command a room. She had an ageless power about her, despite her youth and newness to the position of Housekeeper. How she coped with the enormous responsibility, Theta had no idea. She sat in the armchair across from them, and Theta felt a little as if he was in one of his Earth movie scenes where a couple has to sit down and ask permission from the head of household to get married. “Seriously, Inno, you’re the best ever. Like, ever ever. I need you to know I’m prepared to do you a million favors for this. I’ll bring you back as many books from the Academy as you want.”

“Well, I can’t say no to more books.” Inno lifted a glass cup to her lips from the table that Theta hadn’t noticed there before. When he glanced down, he saw two other cups, both containing steaming amber tea. He nudged Koschei and they each picked one up. The tea had a nostalgic aroma-- various spices, honey, a little ginger. Its warmth started to travel through Theta’s fingertips. “But you know you don’t have to owe me anything. I’m glad you’re here.” She nodded at Koschei. “I’m glad you’re here, too.”

“Thank you. This is-- it’s-- nice. The House.”

Theta brushed his fingers across Koschei’s wrist. Calm down, he thought. You look like you expect her to eat you for breakfast.

“It is, isn’t it? So…” Innocet ventured. “I take it Oakdown House isn’t as nice?”

Koschei winced. “No. I haven’t… well, I haven’t been there in years, honestly. No one would want me back anyway. They were happy to be rid of me when I turned eight.” He looked down into his tea.

Innocet inclined her head. “I see. Where do you normally stay at Otherstide, if you don’t mind my asking?”

“I stay behind in the dormitories. I don’t think anybody really checks down in ours. Or they know, and they just don’t care.” He shrugged.

“Excuse me, you let your best friend stay behind in a smelly old dorm room for all these holidays?” Innocet frowned at Theta.

“Of course not. I stay behind with him as much as I can. That’s why I haven’t been coming around.” Theta chewed his lip. “I’m sorry, Inno. I wasn’t avoiding you. I doubt if Brax would care either way, though.”

“Well, Brax can think whatever he wants. He isn’t the Housekeeper. And the Housekeeper says you’re both to get yourselves over here every Otherstide from here on out. You hear me?” She wagged her finger at both of them. “My cookies won’t eat themselves, Theta.”

“Okay.” Theta smiled and bumped Koschei’s shoulder with his. “Her cookies are really good.”

“We can make some tomorrow!” Inno bounced a little in her seat. “Do you have a favorite flavor, Koschei?”

“I- I guess chocolate.” Koschei relaxed a little. “I’ve never made cookies before.”

“Correction: You’ve burned cookies twice. You’ve made charcoal before.” Theta snorted.

Koschei’s face reddened. “Right.”

“You’ve never made--” Inno threw her arms up in the air dramatically, looking comically small against the winged back of the chair. “Theta. Dear gods. You should have brought him here sooner!”

“I know, I know. I’m sorry! I was worried you’d think it was a security risk, or something.” Theta was embarrassed. “And Brax is so going to kick my ass if he finds out. I get that you don’t care about his feelings, but an ass kicking is very real.”

Innocet rolled her eyes. “He has no idea. He’s not even getting back from the Collection until later tomorrow. I don’t think he even remembers what day it is. Probably off violating copyright law with his past self or something. I told Quences I was busy with archiving and that he had to watch the tots. And I can manage keeping everyone else out of our way for two days.” She reached into the folds of her robe and extended a key to Theta. “Here. I asked the House to muffle your room. You can stay in there and no one will notice a thing.” She smiled. “I’m serious. I’m making this work from now on. You’re welcome.”

Theta took the key and glanced at Koschei. “See? Not the end of the world, huh?”

Koschei rolled his eyes. “I didn’t think it was going to be.”

“Sure you didn’t.” Theta smirked.

“You two are even sweeter together in person,” Innocet sighed. Seeing Koschei’s puzzled expression, she explained, “Theta writes me letters. And he mentions you quite a lot.”

“Inno…” Theta groaned.

“You do!” Inno giggled. “Don’t worry, Koschei, it’s all good things. I don’t think he has a single bad thing to say about you. About how you’re so nice to him, and you’re so good at your classes, and how you’re so, so pretty--”

“Inno!”

Koschei was smiling softly. “Hey, maybe I’d like to read those.”

“Oh, I would be so glad to give you some.”

Theta slid down the couch, holding a hand over his eyes. “I’ve changed my mind. This is actually the worst day of my life.”

“Well, it has to be one of the best of mine.” Innocet was smiling. “Soon to be preceded by tomorrow. Because tomorrow is going to be tons of fun. We’ll make cookies and read scary stories and you can tell me all about the Academy.”

“That sounds… wonderful.” Koschei said. “Thank you.”

“Thank me by coming back, okay?” Innocet stood up. “I mean it. Now let’s go upstairs. I’m exhausted from a full day of manipulating my cousins.” She stretched out her arms and walked to the door. 

“Told you it’d be good,” Theta whispered. He slipped his hand into Koschei’s as they followed Innocet through the dark halls as quietly as they could. 

Koschei nodded. “I know. Thanks for doing this, Theta.”

“Yeah, well. Like Inno said. I hope tomorrow is even better.”

**Author's Note:**

> My tumblr: @wild-endeavor


End file.
